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DAILY RACE COVERAGE: ARMSTRONG CONSERVES AHEAD OF EXPECTED ATTACK
Road Bike Action & AFP
July 19, 2010
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
While Frenchman Christophe Riblon of AG2R took a deserved maiden stage win on the race after a 184.5km race from Revel which took in one unclassified (hors categorie) mountain pass before finishing on the summit of Ax 3 Domaines, Lance Armstrong dropped further down the Tour de France overall standings after letting the lead group go.
Armstrong was dropped early into the 15.5km climb of the Port de Pailheres as the pace of Astana took a toll on many of the podium hopefuls.
Although he would like to add one more stage win to his tally, Armstrong knows from experience that won't be easy to come by.
"I'd still like to get one. The race is hard, nobody's going to give it away, back in our heyday we did not give anything away," he said.
"So I don't want anybody to say, 'hey let the old man have one'. That's not what this event is about, it's a hard sport and the best guy's suposed to win on a daily basis and on a three-week basis.
"I got 25 (stage wins), I don't need somebody to hand me one."
The American was left to finish the race with RadioShack teammate Janez Brajkovic, the pair crossing the finish line 15:14 adrift of Riblon, who crossed the line 1:08 ahead of Spain's reigning champion Alberto Contador (Astana) and race leader Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank).
Armstrong added: "I will do my best, (but) as you know we're running out of chances."
Menchov on the climb to Ax 3 Domaines(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Sanchez, Menchov Aim High for Finale
As the yellow jersey duel between Schleck and Contador moves up a gear, Sanchez and Russian Denis Menchov are engaged in their own podium battle. The duo took advantage of the poker game tactics employed by Schleck and Contador on Sunday by racing ahead to take 14 seconds off both yellow jersey favorites.
On paper, former Tour of Spain winner Menchov has the edge because he is stronger on the longer climbs that feature in the coming days in the Pyreenees, and faster than the Spaniard in long time trials.
After the peloton leaves the Pyrenees on Thursday, the penultimate stage time trial on Saturday is practically the last chance for all contenders to strike.
Reigning Olympic road race champion Sanchez set off in Rotterdam over two weeks ago hoping for a stage win and a coveted place among the race's top ten.
But ahead of the 15th stage in the Pyrenees, the climbing specialist from the rainy Asturias region in the north of Spain is still in third place overall at 2min 31sec behind Luxembourg's race leader Andy Schleck, who has a 31 second lead on reigning champion Alberto Contador.
Euskaltel sports director Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano is not writing off Samuel Sanchez's chances of a podium place on the Tour de France just yet.
Former ONCE rider Gonzalez de Galdeano admits Menchov will be hard to beat, but he is not ruling Sanchez out of contention for a podium place in Paris.
"It's going to be difficult to beat riders like Menchov, he's got a lot of experience in the three-week Grand Tours," Gonzalez de Galdeano told AFP before the start of Monday's 15th stage.
"And in the time trial, normally he is a lot stronger than Samuel.
"But Samuel is in a good position. Today (Monday) is a good stage for him and so is tomorrow (Tuesday).
"Samuel never used to like these kinds of races, but it's different now. I expect Samuel to fight all the way to Paris, so why shouldn't we believe in his chances?"
However Rabobank team leader Menchov doesn't seem to be giving Sanchez a second thought.
The Russian believes he can stay close enough to Contador and Schleck to then overtake the Luxemburger in the final time trial and bid for not third, but second place.
"Contador will be difficult to beat in the time trial," said the Russian, who is fourth overall at 2:44.
"But I have a chance of overtaking Schleck, because he's not as strong in the time trial as me or Alberto."
Seven years ago Sanchez finished out of the time limit on the eighth stage of the 2003 Tour de France, having also failed to make the cutoff during stage 12 of the 2002 edition.
But although being known primarily as a specialist in the hilly one-day classics and one-week stages races, the man from Oviedo finished runner-up to Alejandro Valverde in last year's Tour of Spain.
Whatever happens in the coming days, Sanchez is keeping his cards close to his chest.
"It will be hard for me to get on the podium, or even go for a stage win," admitted the Spaniard.
"Menchov is faster than me in the time trial so I would need at least a one-minute advantage on him before Saturday."
Santambrogio comforts Evans after he loses the yellow jersey. (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Another Blow to Evans: Climber Santambrogio Abandons
In Cadel Evans’ bid to win the Tour de France, Mauro Santambrogio was charged with a mission: Protect his leader in the mountains. In yet another blow to Evans, the Italian Santambrogio retired from the race Monday.
BMC rider Santambrogio had been sick and pulled off the side of the road before the start of the Portet d'Aspet, the first climb in the hilly 15th stage between Pamiers and Bagneres-de-Luchon.
Evans, a former two-time runner-up in the race, is currently 19th overall at 12min 39sec from Luxembourg's race leader Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank).
Euskaltel-Euskadi Could Lose ProTour Status
The ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi faces a budget crunch for the 2011 season. According to the head of Fundacion Euskadi, the Basque separatist movement that provides half the funding for the team, the team faces a $1 million budget shortfall. With a typical operating budget of $5 million, Miguel Madariaga of Fundacion Euskadi says that the team will need to either find another sponsor to help it close that gap, or it will drop to the Pro Continental division.
Should the team drop a division to Pro Continental, it will have to rely on invitations to race in the world’s biggest events, including the Tour de France. That could make it hard to attract and keep top riders, such as Samuel Sanchez who currently lies third overall in the Tour. Sanchez’ contract is up at the end of the season and should he finish on the podium, his talent will be much in demand. Without a rider with Sanchez’ star power, Euskaltel-Euskadi could find it difficult to race on the world stage.
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